Automotive vehicle rotary display device for indicating the occurrence of a single or a plurality of events

ABSTRACT

A translucent indicator drum having a number of messages spaced therearound representing events which may occur at various remote points in a vehicle is indexed by a drive motor upon the energization of a drive circuit. A plurality of coded conductive logic strips are spaced around the drum and cooperate with wiper contacts coupled to event sensors to control the energization of the drive circuit and the energization of a lamp within the indicator drum in response to the occurrence of one or more of the events to index the drum to position the message representing that event adjacent a viewing window and to energize the lamp when that message is so positioned. The drive circuit includes a time delay to insure a minimum display time of each message upon the occurrence of two or more events.

Mitten States-Patent 91' Hynes A I Dec. 3,1974

AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE ROTARY DISPLAY DEVICE FOR INDICATING THE OCCURRENCE OF A SINGLE OR A PLURALITY OF EVENTS [75] Inventor: Roy G. llynes, Flushing, Mich.

[731 Assignee: General Motors Corporation,

Detroit, Mich.

[22] Filed: Aug. 1, 1973 [2]] Appl. No.: 384,482

[52] US. Cl 340/52 F, 340/181 [Sl] Int. Cl. G08b 19/00 [58]- Field of Search ..,....'340/52 R, 52 F, 177 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,660,814 5/1972 Fales 340/52 F 3,665,383 5/1972 Fales 340/52 F WATER TEMP.

Primary Examiner-Alvin H. Waring Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Howard N. Conkey [5 7 ABSTRACT A translucent indicator drum having a number of messages spaced therearound representing events which may occur at various remote points in a vehicle is indexed by a drive motor upon the energization of a drive circuit. A plurality of coded conductive logic strips are spaced around the drum and cooperate with wiper contacts coupled to event sensors to control the energization of the drive circuit and the energization of a lamp within the indicator drum in response to the occurrence of one or more of the events to index the drum to position the message representing that event adjacent a viewing window and to energize the lamp I when that message is so positioned. The drive circuit includes a time delay to insure a minimum display time of each message upon the occurrence of two or more events.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures T BRAKE FLUID arr g WiLOW- i A FHE @9 PARKING BRAKE i' SEAT BELT f v if] c 'ALTERNATOR CAT. CONVERTER PATENTELBEE arm sum 20F 2 BRAKE FLUID y idl f ALTERNATOR CAT. CONVERTER iii OIL PRESSURE WASHER FLUID WATER "TEM P.

:R.5 WA- RAKE FLU! PARWI I RR HEADLAMP OUT DARKING BRAKE SEAT BELT AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE ROTARY DISPLAY DEVICE FOR INDICATING THE OCCURRENCE OF A SINGLE OR. A PLURALITY OF EVENTS This invention relates to an automotive vehicle rotary display device which is responsive to the occurrence of a single event for rotating said device to continually position a message indicating the occurence of said event adjacent a viewing window and for illuminating said message while adjacent the window and which is responsive to the occurrence of two or more events for rotating said device to sequentially position the messages indicating the occurrence of said events adjacent the viewing window for a minimum time and for illuminating said messages while adjacent the window.

In the operation of automotive vehicles, increasing use is being made of warning indicating devices for indicating the occurrence of events at remote locations. For each event, there is provided a viewing window and a lamp therebehind which illuminates a message on the window upon the occurrence of the event associated therewith. Because of the increasing number of these warning devices, the space required for providing all the desired warning indications becomes increasingly greater. It is the general object-of this invention to provide a rotary display device having a plurality of messages spaced therearound corresponding to preselected events, the device being rotated upon the occurrence of one or more of the events to position the messages corresponding to said events adjacent a'display window.

It is another object of this invention to provide a rotary display device having a plurality of messages spaced therearound corresponding to preselected events, the device being indexed upon the occurrence of a single event to continuously position the message corresponding to said event adjacent a display window and being indexed upon the occurrence of two or more events to sequentially position the messages corresponding to said events for a minimum time adjacent the display window.

It is another object of this invention to provide a rotary display device having a plurality of messages spaced therearound corresponding to preselected events, the device being indexed upon theoccurrence of a single event to continuously position the message corresponding to said eventadjacent a display window and being continuously. indexed upon the occurrence of two or more events so as to sequentially position each of the messages at the display window for a predetermined minimum period of time, the'device'including a lamp for illuminating the messages corresponding to events which occurredwhen said messages are positioned at the display window.

These and other objects of this invention may be best understood by reference to the following description of f a'preferred embodiment of the invention and the drawings in which:-

. FIG. 1 is a front view of the rotary display device of the preferred embodiment of this invention;

. viewed along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is-a drawing of the rotary display device as viewed along lines 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing of the circuit for energizing the drum indexing motor and the lamp in re- WATER TEMPERATURE, WASHER FLUID, etc.,

spaced therearound. The messages on the drum l0 represents events which may occur at remote locations in the vehicle, the occurrences of which are to be indicated to the vehicle operator.

A toothed driven member 112 is secured in a concentric relationship to one end of the drum 10. A sleeve 14 extends through and is secured to a bracket 16. A pin 18' extends through the sleeve 14 and the driven member 12 and is laterally secured by a holding ring 20 in a groove in the pin 18. The interface between the driven member 12 and the pin 18 forms a bearing surface 22 which rotatably supports one end of the drum '10. The other end of the drum 10 extends into a circucured to the bracket 16 by a fastener 28. The motor 26 includes a solenoid 30 and an armature 32, the armature being pivotally connected to the bracket 16 by a I pin 34. The pin 34 and the armature 32 are'laterally secured by a pair of holding rings 36 and 38 and a sleeve 40. The armature 32 includes anactuatingportion comprised of an arm 42 and an arm 44 which alternately engage the teeth of the driven member 12 as the armature 32 is reciprocally pivoted about the axis of the pin 34. The armature 32 is-biased away from the coil 30 so that the arm 44 engages the driven member 12 by a spring 46 which has one end secured to the armature 32 and the other end secured to an extension 48 affixed to the bracket l6'by a screw 50..

The bracket 16 with the attached drum and drive motor 26 is mounted in any conventional manner within the vehicle behind the vehicle dash 51 and adjacent a viewing window 52 therein so that the messages on the drum 10 are observable by the vehicleoperator through the viewing window 52.

When the solenoid 30 is energized, thearmature 32 is magnetically attracted thereto and is pivoted about the axis of the pin 34 against the force of the spring 46 to cause the arm 42 to engage one of the teeth on the driven member 12 and index the drum 10 through a first angle. Upon deenergization of the solenoid 30, the armature 32 is pivoted about the axis of the pin 34 by the return force of the spring 46 to cause the arm 44 to engage one of the teeth on the driven member 12 to further index the drum 10 through a second angle. The number of teeth on the driven member 12and the movement of the armature 32 when the solenoid 30 is energized and then deenergized is such that the drum 10 is indexed through a net angle to rotate the message adjacent the viewing window 52 away therefrom and to position thene'xt message on the drum 10 adjacent the viewing window 52. By repeating the cycle of energizing and deenergizing the solenoid 30, the messages on the drum 10 are sequentially, positioned adjacent the viewing window 52. For example, assuming the mes sage WASHER FLUID-is-positioned adjacent the view: ing window 52 when the solenoid 30 is energized, the

arm 42 is moved to engage one of the teeth on the driven member 12 to index the drum through the a first angle to rotate the message WASHER FLUlD away from the viewing window 52 and the message WATER TEMP. toward the viewing window 52. Upon deenergization of the solenoid 30, the spring 46 moves the arm 44 into engagement with a tooth on the driven member 12 to further index the drum 10 through the second angle to position the message WATER TEMP. adjacent the viewing window 52.

A lamp holder 54 is secured to the bracket 16 by a screw 56 and extends into the drum 10 through an opening in the bracket 16. A lamp socket 58 is attached to the lamp holder 54 and carries a lamp 60 which, when energized, illuminates the message on the drum 10 which is positioned adjacent the viewing window 52. A pair of leads 62 and 64 are coupled across the lamp 60 and extend therefrom through the end of the drum 10.

A plurality of coded conductive strips 66 are spaced around the drum 10, the number thereof being equal to the number of messages spaced around the drum 10. A plurality of wiper contacts 68A through 68N are secured to a terminal block 70 by clamps 72 and 74 and screws 76 and 78. The terminal block 70 is attached to the bracket 16 by a screw 80. The wiper contacts 68A through 68N are positioned so as to wipe across the coded conductive strips 66 as the drum 10 is rotated. The wiper contacts 68A through 680 engage the drum 10 opposite from the wiper contacts 68H through 68N.

Referring to FIG. 5, the circuit for controlling the device of this invention is shown, the drum 10 being developed in a plane for clarity. As seen in this figure, the wiper contacts 68A and 68l-l are coupled to the lamp 60 through the lead 64. The other side of the lamp 60 is coupled to a positive voltage source B+, such as the vehicle battery, through the lead 62. The wiper contacts 686 and 68N are coupled to the solenoid 30 of the drive motor 26 through a time delay circuit 82 and a lead 84. The other side of the solenoid 30 is grounded.

Each of the remaining wiper contacts 688 through 68F and 68! through 68M is coupled to one side of a respective one of a number of normally open transducers 86A through 86], the other side of which is grounded. The transducers 86A through 861 are positioned at remote locations in the vehicle and sense the occurrences of the events which are to be indicated to.

the vehicle operator and which are represented by the messages on the drum 10. Each one of the transducers 86A through 86.! is closed in response to the occurrence of the event associated therewith to supply a ground signal to the wiper contact 688, 68F, 68l, or 68M coupled thereto. For example, the transducer 86A may be located so as to monitor vehicle engine water temperature and is closed to supply a ground signal to the wiper contact 68B when the water temperature exceeds a predetermined magnitude.

When the drum 10 is rotated, the conductive logic strips 66 are effective for sequentially coupling each of the wiper contacts 688 through 68F and 68l through 68M individually to the lamp 60 through either the wiper contact 68A or the wiper contact 68H as the messages on the drum 10 are sequentially positioned adjacent the viewing window 52 and for coupling all of the remaining wipercontacts to the time delay circuit 82 through either the wiper contact 686 or the wiper contact 68N. Further, the wiper contact which is coupled to the lamp 60 is coupled to the transducer which is associated with the message adjacent the viewing window 52. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, when the message WATER TEMP. is positioned adjacent the viewing window 52 as shown, the wiper contact 688 connected to the transducer 86A monitoring water temperature is coupled to the wiper contact 68A, and, consequently, to the lamp 60. All of the remaining wiper contacts are coupled to the time delay circuit 82 through the lead 84. As the drum 10 is rotated forward, the next message ALTERNATOR is positioned behind the viewing window 52 and simultaneously therewith, the wiper contact 68M connected to the transducer 86.! monitoring alternator output is coupled to the stationary contact 68H and the wiper contact 68B is decoupled from the wiper contact 86A and coupled to the wiper contact 680.

in this manner, as the drum 10 is indexed, each of the transducers 86A through 86] are sequentially and individually decoupled from the time delay circuit 82 and coupled to the lamp 60 when the message on the drum 10 representing the occurrence of the event sensed by said transducer is positioned adjacent the viewing window 52. v

The time delay circuit 82 in the preferred embodiment takes the form of a thermal time delay switch and includes a heater element 88 coupled to the positive voltage supply 8+ and a bimetal element 90 also coupled to the positive voltage supply. The heater element 88 and the bimetal element 90 terminate at respective terminals 91 and 92 on opposite sides of a movable, insulating contact block 93.

When the heating element 88 is cold, the bimetal element 90 moves the contact block 93 so that the terminal 91 engages a terminal 94 coupled to the lead 84. When the heating element 88 is energized by a ground signal applied to the terminal 94 through the lead 84, the bimetal element 90 is heated thereby and moves the contact block 93 so that the terminal 92 engages a terminal 96 coupled to the solenoid 30 of the drive motor 26. The solenoid 30 is then coupled to the positive voltage source B+ through the bimetal element 90 and is energized thereby. Upon the movement of the terminal 91 away from the terminal 94, power is removed from the heating element 88. The bimetal element 90 is consequently cooled and moves the contact block 93 to again engage the terminal 94. Consequently, the solenoid 30 is deenergized.

In operation, upon the occurrence of an event being monitored by one of the transducers 86A through 86], a ground signal is applied to the time delay switch 82 through the stationary contact 686 or the stationary contact 68N and the lead 84. Consequently, the heater element 88 is energized to heat the bimetal element 90 which, after a predetermined length of time, moves the contact block 93 to engage the contacts 92 and 96 to energize the solenoid 30 of the drive motor 26. Upon energization of the solenoid 30, the drum 10 is indexed through the first angle as previously described. Upon the cooling of the heating element 88, and consequently the bimetal element 90, the contactblock 93 is again moved by the bimetal element to engage the contacts 91 and 94 to again apply power to the heating element 88 and to remove power from the solenoid 30. Upon deenergization of the solenoid 30, the drum 10 is indexed through the second angle to position the next message on the drum adjacent the viewing window 52 as previously described. in addition, the wiper contacts 68A through 68N engage the next conductive logic strip 66. This sequence is repeated until the wiper contact 6813, 68F, 681, or 68M having a ground signal applied thereto from the respective transducer 86A, or 86.] which monitored the occurrence of the event is decoupled from the stationary contact 686 or the stationary contact 68N and coupled to the stationary contact 68A or the stationary contact 68H. At this time, the ground signal is removed from the time delay circuit 82 and is applied to the lamp 60 which is energized thereby to illuminate the message presented at the viewing window 52. This message represents the occurrence of the event. As the ground signal is no longer applied to the time delay circuit 82, the drive motor 26 is maintained deenergized so that the message representing the occurrence of the event is continually maintained adjacent the viewing window 52. If two or more events should occur as sensed by the transducers 86A through 86], the drum 10 will be continually indexed in the manner previously described as a ground signal is always coupled to the time delay circuit 82 through the wiper contact 686 or the wiper contact 68N. Eachtime a message representing one of the occurred events is positioned adjacent the viewing window 52, the lamp 60 is illuminated for the time duration that that message is so positioned. Therefore, with each revolution of the drum 10, each of the events which has occurred as sensed by the transducers 86A through 86J will be indicated by the illumination of the message corresponding thereto through the viewing window 52.

When two or more events occur as sensed by the transducers 86A through 86], the time delay of the time. delay circuit 82 insures that each of the messages indicating the occurrences of those events is positioned adjacent and illuminated through the viewing window 52 for a minimum time duration. The delay time of the time delay circuit 82 can be made to any desired time insuring that each message is illuminated for a duration to allow the vehicle operator to observe the indication of the occurred event. It is understood that the time delay circuit 82 is shown as a thermal time delay switch for illustration purposes only. As will be understood, any other form of time delay means in an energizing circuit for the drive motor 26 such as an electronic time delay in an electronic drive circuit may be substituted therefor.

Should the transducer 86A, or 86] coupled to the lamp 60 sense the occurrence of the event associated therewith, the message adjacent the viewing window 52 would be illuminated'to provide an indication of said occurrence and no indexing of the drum 10 would occur.

The detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention for the purpose of explaining the principles thereof is not to be considered as limiting or re- I stricting the invention, since many modifications may be made by the exercise of skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

l CLAIM: I 1. An automotive vehicle rotary display device for indicating the occurrence of events at remote locations in'the vehicle,'comprising: a plurality of event sensors positioned at remote locations in the vehicle, each of said event sensors being responsive to the occurrence of a respective event for generating a signal upon said occurrence; a viewing window; a drum rotatably supported adjacent the viewing window; a plurality of messages spaced around the drum so as to be sequentially positioned adjacent the viewing window as the drum is indexed, each of said messages representing the occurrence of a respective one of the events; a lamp positioned withinthe drum; drive means for indexing the drum; and circuit means responsive to the angular position of the drum for coupling the event sensor responsive to the event represented by the message adjacent the viewing window to the lamp and coupling the remaining event sensors to the drive means, the lamp being energized by a signal generated by one of the event sensors coupled thereto for illuminating the message positioned adjacent the viewing window to thereby provide an indication of the occurrence of the event represented by said message and the drive means being energized by a signal generated by one of the event sensors coupled thereto for indexing the drum to sequentially position the messages thereon adjacent the viewing window, the drive means including delay means for maintaining each message positioned adjacent the viewing window for a predetermined time period when the, drive means is energized. to index the drum, whereby a continuous indication is provided of the occurrence of a single event and an indication having a predetermined time duration is provided for the occurrence of 'each of-a plurality of events which has occurred.

' 2. An automotive vehicle rotary display device for indicating the occurrence of events at remote locations in the vehicle, comprising: a plurality of event sensors positioned at remote locations in the vehicle, each of said event sensors being responsive to the occurrence of a respective event for generating a signal upon said occurrence; a viewing window; a drum rotatably supported adjacent the viewing window; a plurality of messages spaced around the drum'so as to be sequentially positioned adjacent the viewing window as the drum is indexed, each of said messages representing the occurrence of a respective one of the events; a lamp posi tioned within the drum", reciprocating drive means for indexing the drum to sequentially position the messages on the drum adjacent the viewing window as said reciprocating drive means is energized and deenergized', circuit means for periodically energizing and deenergizing the reciprocating drive means when said circuit means is energized, the circuit means having atime delay for controlling the energization and deenergization of the drive means so as to maintain each message adjacent the viewingwindow for a predetermined minimum time duration; and a logic circuit responsive to the angular position of the drum for coupling the event sensor responsive to the event represented by the message adjacent the viewing window to the lamp and coupling the remaining event sensors to the circuit means, the lamp being energized by a signal coupled thereto from one of the event sensors for illuminating the-message positioned adjacent the viewing window to provide an indication of the occurrence of the event and the circuit means being energized by a signal coupled thereto from one of the event sensors for periodically energizing and deenergizing the reciprocating drive means to index the drum, whereby a continuous indication is provided of the occurrence of a single eventandan indication having a predetermined minimum time duration is provided for each of a plurality of events which has occurred.

3. An automotive vehicle rotary display device for indicating the occurrence of events at remote locations in the vehicle, comprising: a plurality of event sensors positioned at remote locations in the vehicle, each of said event sensors being responsive to the occurrence of a respective event for generating a signal upon said occurrence; a viewing window; a drum rotatably supported adjacent the viewing window; a plurality of messages spaced around the drum so as to be sequentially positioned adjacent the viewing window as the drum is indexed, each of said messages representing the occurrence of a respective one of the events; a lamp positioned within the drum; reciprocating drive means for indexing the drum to sequentially position the messages on the drum adjacent the viewing window as said drive means is energized and deenergized; oscillating thermal switch means for periodically energizing and deenergizing the reciprocating drive means when said oscillating thermal switch means is energized, the oscillating thermal switch means having a time delay for maintaining each message adjacent the viewing window for a predetermined minimum time duration; and logic means rethe oscillating thermal switch means, the lamp being energized by a signal coupled thereto from one of the event sensors for illuminating the message positioned adjacent the viewing window to thereby provide an indication of the occurrence of the event and the oscillating thermal switch means being energized by a signal coupled thereto from one of the event sensors to effect the indexing of the drum, the logic means including a plurality of coded conductive logic strips spaced around the drum and a plurality of wiper arms positioned to sequentially engage the coded conductive logic strips as the drum is indexed, at least one of the wiper contacts being coupled to the lamp, at least one of the wiper arms being coupled to the oscillating thermal switch means and each of the remaining wiper arms being coupled to a respective event sensor, whereby a continuous indication is provided of the occurrence of a single event and an indication having a predetermined minimum time duration is provided for each of a plurality of events which has occurred. 

1. An automotive vehicle rotary display device for indicating the occurrence of events at remote locations in the vehicle, comprising: a plurality of event sensors positioned at remote locations in the vehicle, each of said event sensors being responsive to the occurrence of a respective event for generating a signal upon said occurrence; a viewing window; a drum rotatably supported adjacent the viewing window; a plurality of messages spaced around the drum so as to be sequentially positioned adjacent the viewing window as the drum is indexed, each of said messages representing the occurrence of a respective one of the events; a lamp positioned within the drum; drive means for indexing the drum; and circuit means responsive to the angular position of the drum for coupling the event sensor responsive to the event represented by the message adjacent the viewing window to the lamp and coupling the remaining event sensors to the drive means, the lamp being energized by a signal generated by one of the event sensors coupled thereto for illuminating the message positioned adjacent the viewing window to thereby provide an indication of the occurrence of the event represented by said message and the drive means being energized by a signal generated by one of the event sensors coupled thereto for indexing the drum to sequentially position the messages thereon adjacent the viewing window, the drive means including delay means for maintaining each message positioned adjacent the viewing window for a predetermined time period when the drive means is energized to index the drum, whereby a continuous indication is provided of the occurrence of a single event and an indication having a predetermined time duration is provided for the occurrence of each of a plurality of events which has occurred.
 2. An automotive vehicle rotary display device for indicating the occurrence of events at remote locations in the vehicle, comprising: a plurality of event sensors positioned at remote locations in the vehiCle, each of said event sensors being responsive to the occurrence of a respective event for generating a signal upon said occurrence; a viewing window; a drum rotatably supported adjacent the viewing window; a plurality of messages spaced around the drum so as to be sequentially positioned adjacent the viewing window as the drum is indexed, each of said messages representing the occurrence of a respective one of the events; a lamp positioned within the drum; reciprocating drive means for indexing the drum to sequentially position the messages on the drum adjacent the viewing window as said reciprocating drive means is energized and deenergized; circuit means for periodically energizing and deenergizing the reciprocating drive means when said circuit means is energized, the circuit means having a time delay for controlling the energization and deenergization of the drive means so as to maintain each message adjacent the viewing window for a predetermined minimum time duration; and a logic circuit responsive to the angular position of the drum for coupling the event sensor responsive to the event represented by the message adjacent the viewing window to the lamp and coupling the remaining event sensors to the circuit means, the lamp being energized by a signal coupled thereto from one of the event sensors for illuminating the message positioned adjacent the viewing window to provide an indication of the occurrence of the event and the circuit means being energized by a signal coupled thereto from one of the event sensors for periodically energizing and deenergizing the reciprocating drive means to index the drum, whereby a continuous indication is provided of the occurrence of a single event and an indication having a predetermined minimum time duration is provided for each of a plurality of events which has occurred.
 3. An automotive vehicle rotary display device for indicating the occurrence of events at remote locations in the vehicle, comprising: a plurality of event sensors positioned at remote locations in the vehicle, each of said event sensors being responsive to the occurrence of a respective event for generating a signal upon said occurrence; a viewing window; a drum rotatably supported adjacent the viewing window; a plurality of messages spaced around the drum so as to be sequentially positioned adjacent the viewing window as the drum is indexed, each of said messages representing the occurrence of a respective one of the events; a lamp positioned within the drum; reciprocating drive means for indexing the drum to sequentially position the messages on the drum adjacent the viewing window as said drive means is energized and deenergized; oscillating thermal switch means for periodically energizing and deenergizing the reciprocating drive means when said oscillating thermal switch means is energized, the oscillating thermal switch means having a time delay for maintaining each message adjacent the viewing window for a predetermined minimum time duration; and logic means responsive to the angular position of the drum for coupling the event sensor responsive to the event represented by the message adjacent the viewing window to the lamp and coupling the remaining event sensors to the oscillating thermal switch means, the lamp being energized by a signal coupled thereto from one of the event sensors for illuminating the message positioned adjacent the viewing window to thereby provide an indication of the occurrence of the event and the oscillating thermal switch means being energized by a signal coupled thereto from one of the event sensors to effect the indexing of the drum, the logic means including a plurality of coded conductive logic strips spaced around the drum and a plurality of wiper arms positioned to sequentially engage the coded conductive logic strips as the drum is indexed, at least one of the wiper contacts being coupled to the lamp, at least one of the wiper arms being coupled to the oscillating thermal switch means and each of the remaining wIper arms being coupled to a respective event sensor, whereby a continuous indication is provided of the occurrence of a single event and an indication having a predetermined minimum time duration is provided for each of a plurality of events which has occurred. 